Top UK producers Sarah Brocklehurst of Brock Media, Andy Paterson of Virtual Circle, and Helen Simmons of Erebus Pictures, are the latest speakers to join the Screen Summit, taking place at BFI Southbank on September 30.
They will take part in a conversation called ’The Disrupters’ that will explore the radical ideas and ambitious interventions that could help transform the stark financial reality of making a living as an independent producer in the UK. The panel will emphasise why the role of producer – and why an industry-wide understanding of what it entails – is of vital importance to the health and future well-being of the UK film sector.
Brocklehurst works across film, TV and theatre, with feature credits including Nora Fingscheidt’s The Outrun starring Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu, that grossed over £2m at the UK box office. Brock Media recently signed a development deal with Studiocanal which distributed The Outrun.
Earlier this month, Simmons’ Erebus Pictures travelled to the Venice film festival for the world premiere in Critics’ Week of Erebus’ 100 Nights Of Hero, starring Emma Corrin, Charli XCX, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El Masry, Richard E Grant and Felicity Jones. Directed by Julia Jackman, 100 Nights is also the closing-night gala film at the BFI London Film Festival.
Paterson is the experienced film producer whose credits include Girl With A Pearl Earring and The Railway Man. He has now teamed with Vue Cinemas and Dimension Studios and producer Annalise Davis, to create a company called Virtual Circle to make a slate of theatrical films using virtual production.
The second annual Screen Summit, called ’Building on the UK’s Global Success’, will bring together producers, financiers and distributors for a day of full and frank discussion about how the UK indie film sector can amplify its success in the global market.
Further speakers are John Friedberg, president, international at Black Bear, Kezia Williams, managing director for the UK and Ireland at Universal Pictures International (UPI), Zygi Kamasa, founder and CEO of True Brit Entertainment, Gabrielle Stewart, CEO of HanWay Films, David Garrett, CEO of Mister Smith Entertainment, Vanessa Saal, executive consultant & UK lead at Paris’ based mk2 Films, See-Saw Films’ Iain Canning, Ed Guiney from Element Pictures, Film Soho’s Kate Phibbs, Garden Studios’ Debbie Adler, and Great Point Studios’ Gerwyn Evans, BBC Film director Eva Yates, Film4 interim director Farhana Bhula and the BFI Filmmaking Fund’s Mia Bays.
Ben Roberts, chief executive of the British Film Institute, will deliver a keynote speech.
Visit here to find out more about the event.
Screen Summit 2025 event partners are Centtrip, Elevate Finance, Film Soho, Garden Studios, Great Point Studios and the UK Global Screen Fund.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Scott Benfold.